Electric bulb remover and installer



Feb. 27, 1940. Y mK 2,191,593

ELECTRIC BULB REMOV ER AND INSTALLER Filed-Nov. 19, 1938 4,, NESTOR rfjosmk v Eusrncs 6.6;:

enters Gttorneg Patented Feb. 27, 1940 ELECTRIC BULB REMOVER. AND INSTALLER Nestor Y. Sosnik and Eustace C. Griflin, Winston-Salem, N. 0.

Application November 19, 1938, Serial No. 241,370

5 Claims.

This invention relates to a bulb remover and replacer whereby bulbs are removed or replaced in sockets which are not within easy reach. This type of apparatus is of particular importance in removing and replacing light bulbs in display windows,'fi11ing stations, factories, theaters, homes, offices, stores, or in fact, in any place where an electric light bulb is located in a remote location.

It is an object of this invention to provide an apparatus for gripping a bulb which has an extension means so that a person may install or remove a bulb in a remotely located socket. By providing an apparatus of this type, it is not necessary to stand on a ladder and unscrew a light bulb from an elevated socket, but instead, this invention puts the light bulb within easy reach and saves the time of the person necessary to install the bulb as well as eliminates the hazard of mounting a ladder or some other object to obtain access to the socket.

' It is a further object of this invention to provide an apparatus of the class described comprising a pole having a pair of jaws pivoted thereto with spring pressed means for normally moving the free ends of the jaws together said spring pressed means being also adapted to cooperate with the ends of the jaws to hold a bulb in clamped position therebetween. Means are also provided whereby the jaws may be opened and closed at the will of the person holding the pole.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a perspective View of the invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the invention showing the clamping means in position for clamping a light bulb; 1 p

Figure 3 is an enlarged elevation of the upper portion of Figure 2 showing the clamping means engaging a light bulb;

Figure 4 is a top plan view taken along the line 4-4 in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a sectional planview taken along the line 5-5 in Figure 3;

Referring more specifically to the drawing, the numeral l0 denotes a suitable pole having pivoted thereto at its upper end as at H, a pair of jaws l2 and I4. These jaws are preferably formed from fiat-iron prongs which are secured together by other transverse flat-iron portions. For example, the jaw 12 has two prongs I5 and 16 (see Figure 4) and these prongs are tied tothe connecting member 2|.

gether by transverse arcuate straps I1 and IS. The jaw I4 likewise comprises prongs l9 and 20, which are tied together by arcuate transverse straps 2i and 22. Each of the prongs l5, I6, 19 and 20 has a suitable shield or sleeve 23 inserted over its upper end. These shields are preferably made of rubber or some other resilient friction material so that a lightbulb 24 may be firmly engaged so that suitable frictional resistance will be present between the bulb and the shields 2| to insure that it can be screwed into or unscrewed from a socket. The jaws l2 and I4 normally are pulled toward each other by means of a suitable tension spring 25,

said spring having one end thereof secured to the mid-portion of arcuate strap l8 and its other end hooked in the mid-portion of arcuate strap 22. When the bulb 24 is inserted between the jaws I2 and M the lower portion of the bulb engages the top side of the spring 25 and due to the tension in this spring the bulb is forced against the sleeves 23 on converging prongs l5, l6, l9 and 20.

In order to provide means for moving the jaw l4, relative to jaw 12, a suitable angle member 21 has been secured to the outside of arcuate strap member 22. This angle member has the upper end of a wire 28 pivotally mounted in the end thereof as at 29 and the lower end of this wire being adapted to slide in a suitable eye 30 which extends outwardly from the lower portion of pole or handle H3. The extreme lower end of the wire has a ring 3| integral therewith which may be penetrated by the operators finger to open the jaw M. It should be notedthat both of the jaws l2 or Mare pivoted as at H and they have a limited rotative movement about this pivot point. The arcuate members [1 and 21- merely serve as stops to limit the counterclockwise and clockwise rotation respectively of the jaws l2 and M about the pivot point. When tension is applied to the wire 28 to cause the jaw M to open in the manner shown in Figure 2, so that a-bulb may be engaged, then it is evident that spring 25 will pull. the jaw l2 in a clockwise manner to the left until the arcuate portions l1 engage the upper portion of pole or handle II]. On the other hand should the jaws be in a closed position as shown in. Figure 1 or 3, the bodily movement of both of the members in a clockwise manner would be limited by By pivoting both of the members so that a limited amount of clockwise or counter-clockwise rotation of either or both of the members can be effected, it is one end secured to said arm and extending to possible to insert prongs of the apparatus in localities where otherwise it would be impossible. The prongs are so designed that they fit a very small electric light bulb, or a very large bulb with equal efficiency.

It is therefore seen that we have provided a simple apparatus which is capable of firmly gripping a substantial portion of the periphery of the bulb. This article is also inexpensive and capable of performing a very much desired function.

In the drawing and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, and although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for removing and installing electric light bulbs comprising an elongated handle, a pair of members having one end pivotally mounted on a common pivot on one end of the handle, each member having a pair of upstanding substantially parallel arcuate prongs on the free end thereof, a tension spring having its ends secured to said members and adapted to normally exert a pull to cause said prongs to move towards each other to grip a bulb disposed therebetween and also to engage the bulb while held between the prongs, one of said pivoted members having an outwardly projecting arm thereon, a connecting member having a pointnear the other end of the handle whereby a pull can be exerted on one of said members to separate the jaws on the free end thereof, and the other of said members having a bridging strap adapted to engage the upper end of the handle to limit movement of said other member when a pull is exerted on said arm.

2. Apparatus for removing and installing electric light bulbs comprising an elongated handle, a pair of members having one end pivotaily mounted on a common pivot on one end of the handle, each member having a pair of upstanding substantially parallel arcuate prongs on the free end thereof, a tension spring having its ends secured to said members and adapted to normally exert a pull to cause said prongs to move towards each other to grip a bulb disposed therebetween and to also engage the bulb while held between the prongs, means on the pivoted members for engaging the handle to limit inward movement of the pivoted members with re spect to the handle, one of said pivoted members having an outwardly projecting arm thereon, a connecting member having one end secured to said arm and extending to a point near the other end of the handle whereby a pull can be exerted on one of said members to separate the jaws on the free end thereof.

3. Apparatus for removing and installing electric light bulbs comprising an elongated handle, a pair of members having one end pivotally mounted on a common pivot on one end of the handle, each member having a pair of upstanding substantially parallel arcuate prongs on the free end thereof, the free ends of the prongs having resilient friction material thereon, a tension spring having its ends secured to said members and adapted to normally exert a pull to cause said prongs to move towards each other to grip a bulb disposed therebetween and to also engage a clamped bulb, one of said pivoted members having an outwardly projecting arm thereon, a connecting member having one end secured to said arm and extending to a point and adapted tonormally exert a pull to cause said prongs to move towards each other to grip a bulb disposed therebetween and also to exert pressure on a bulb while held by the prongs, means on the pivoted members for engaging the handle to limit inward movement of the pivoted members with respect to the handle, one of said,

pivoted members having an outwardly projecting arm thereon, a connecting member having one end secured to said arm and extending to.

a point near the other end of the handle whereby a pull can be exerted on one of said members to separate the jaws on the free end thereof.

5. Apparatus for removing and installing electric light bulbs, comprising an elongated handle, a pair of members having one end pivotally mounted on a common pivot on one end of the handle, each member having a pair of substantially parallel arcuate prongs on the free end thereof, a tension spring having its ends secured to said members and adapted to normally exert a pull to cause said prongs to move towards each other to grip a bulb disposed therebetween, one of said pivoted members having an outwardly projecting arm thereon, a connecting member having one end secured to said arm and extending to a point near the other end of the handle whereby a'pull can be exerted on one of said members to separate the jaws 0n the free end thereof, said tension spring being adapted to be contacted by the lower end of the bulb and to have its central portion depressed so that when the pull exerted on one of said members is released to cause the jaws to clamp the bulb, the tension spring will exert pressure on the bulb to thereby hold the jaws in clamping relation to the bulb.

NESTOR Y. SOSNIK. EUSTACE C. GRIFFIN. 

